


I Shall Return For You, My Love

by ziamandbeyond



Series: I Bet My Life [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Christmas Fluff, Famous Liam, M/M, Non-Famous Zayn, Paparazzi, Winter, liam gets stranded at a coffee shop by paparazzi and zayn happens to work there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-04-25
Packaged: 2018-06-04 08:35:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6650542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ziamandbeyond/pseuds/ziamandbeyond
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Zayn, is it? I’m Liam,” he said reaching out a hand to shake Zayn’s. “I’m sorry if I’m keeping you, I know you’re closed. I didn’t think I’d end up with a dead phone and twenty paps following me when I popped out for some fresh air.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Shall Return For You, My Love

**Author's Note:**

> Song inspiration for this was "Christmas Day" by Dido.

Zayn watched as the snow fell outside while he put Christmas lights up around the small coffee shop he worked in. The street out side becoming emptier as the night wore on, people choosing to stay out of the cold. Not that Zayn could blame them since he wasn’t particularly looking forward to his walk home.

The lights were now hung and the cafe looked ready for the holidays as gentle Christmas music played in the background. This was usually the time of day that all the students in the area liked to come into the shop and get their caffeine fix but, aside from Zayn, only one other person was in the shop. The other guy was silently sitting in the corner reading a book, the coffee he'd ordered an hour ago was probably long gone or cold by now.

The night was going to drag on and feel like a million years, Zayn just knew it. He tried to keep himself busy and occupied so the boredom wouldn't get to him. He cleaned the entire shop from floor to ceiling trying to make it take as much time as possible. Once he was sure that the shop was the cleanest it had ever been he stopped and ventured a look at the clock. The guy that had been reading in the corner might have left but Zayn still had a couple of hours left before he could lock up and go home. He sighed in frustration before retreating to the back office to get his backpack figuring he could at least get some of his school work done since there wasn't anything else to do. 

Zayn got so caught up in finishing his school work that the alarm he'd set on his phone went off and startled him. He jumped and barely caught himself from falling off the stool he was using. The arm he reached out with hit the bottom of his cup and before he could do anything to stop it his hot chocolate was all over the counter and the floor in front of the cash register.

"Fucking hell," Zayn cursed. He walked over to the door to lock it and flip the open sign to closed since that was the reason why his damn alarm went off in the first place. He made his way back to the mess he made and cleaned it up as quickly as he could with the knowledge that he'd unfortunately have to take the trash out again. As he pulled his till and took it to the back office to lock it up, he wondered if he should make himself another hot chocolate or just close up and take on the cold outside.

He closed the money up in the safe and thought that it would probably be best to cut his loses and head home before anymore accidents happened, but then he heard someone trying to open the door before the sound of knocking carried into the office.

Zayn went out to tell the person on the other side of the door that they were closed, but he was met with bright flashes and world famous singer Liam Payne standing outside mouthing “Please let me in.”

He walked quickly to the door, opening it just enough to let Liam through. The twenty or so men with cameras tried to push in after, but Zayn held his ground and pushed back. Things were being shouted by the men that Zayn couldn’t make out and the flashes were unrelenting as they still tried to get into the shop.

“We’re closed, fellas. You can leave or I can call the cops for trespassing,” he yelled. Most of them didn't move but Zayn managed to clear the doorway just enough to get the door shut and locked once more.

There wasn’t much Zayn could do as flashes continued to light up the shop, but he started pulling down the sunscreens above all of the windows to at least limit the visibility of the cameras outside.

“Thank you,” Liam said looking down to the name tag on Zayn’s apron. “Zayn, is it? I’m Liam,” he said reaching out a hand to shake Zayn’s. “I’m sorry if I’m keeping you, I know you’re closed. I didn’t think I’d end up with a dead phone and twenty paps following me when I popped out for some fresh air.”

“No problem, mate. That was mad,” Zayn said. “You need to borrow a phone to call someone?” he asked as he picked up his off the counter and handed it over.

“Yeah, cheers,” Liam said as he took the phone and found a seat next to the counter and called someone. Zayn gave him his space and made his way to the back side of the counter to clean up for the night. He had already taken the trash out earlier, but his little spill had created a fair amount of waste so he took the bag out of the bin before tying it off and dropping it by the back door.

When he came back to the counter, Liam was just wrapping up his phone call. “Thanks again. They should be here in half an hour. I appreciate you letting me hide out in here. I’m sure you’re wanting to get the hell out of here, but it’s nice to meet you, Zayn.”

“No, it’s no problem. I was going to be here for a little longer anyway. Now you can just keep me company while I clean this place,” Zayn said with a wink. It might have been a small fib, but he didn’t want Liam to feel bad about keeping him there anymore. “Would you like a drink? Something to warm you up? I know it’s freezing out there.”

“No thank you,” Liam said.

“Are you sure? I’m gonna make something for myself to keep me warm on my walk home anyway, so it’s not like it’ll be an inconvenience, ” Zayn told him.

“Okay then, I’ll have whatever you’re having,” Liam said as Zayn started up the machines he needed to make a couple of hot chocolates. “Love your phone case by the way,” Liam told him  picking the phone back up to display the Batman case that covered it.

“Thanks, I made it myself,” Zayn said pulling out the ingredients he needed.

“You made it?” Liam asked. “That’s amazing.”

Zayn laughed, “It’s just a little hobby I have. All my friends have the pleasure of getting custom phone cases whenever I get too bored.”

Zayn made quick work of the drinks and slid one over to Liam who pulled out his wallet.

“That’s no good,” he said as he poured his drink into a cup that he hopefully wouldn’t knock over this time. “It’s on the house.”

“You can’t give this to me for free. I owe you as it is,” Liam said.

“No, really, I can’t take your money. Put my till in the safe already,” he said tilting his head towards the office he had been in earlier. “Couldn’t charge you even if I wanted to.”

Liam took a sip of the drink in front of him, moaning into the warmth the drink offered him. “I know I’ve only known you for ten minutes, but I want you to know that I fully intend to marry you someday,” Liam told him.

Zayn laughed putting up everything he’d gotten out to make their drinks, “Is that so?”

“Definitely,” Liam nodded with a straight face. “Just thought I’d make my intentions perfectly clear. You make the best hot chocolate I’ve ever tasted and you’re into Batman,” he smiled. “My kind of man.”

“Did I add my secret love potion by mistake? I knew I should have labeled it better,” Zayn joked as he cleaned up the machines he used. He was making sure the shop was in top condition for the night when there was a knock on the door.

“That’s my team,” Liam said looking over to the man standing just outside the door.

“Perfect timing,” Zayn said putting his books and school work in his bag and grabbing his hot chocolate. “I can walk you to the door and lock up,” he said.

“Nonsense! We’ll give you a ride home. Like you said earlier, it’s freezing, and it’s the least I can do after everything you’ve done for me.”

Zayn didn’t put up much of a fight about it since he’d been dreading the walk home all night anyway. He quickly locked the doors as the few photographers who had waited around started snapping pictures, but at least this time Liam’s team was there to keep them back.

“So, Mr. Artist, Student, Conqueror of hot chocolate, and Rescuer of useless popstars... how would you feel about going out with me sometime?” Liam asked once they were in the car.

“Like on a date? Or as friends? Cause I didn’t think you were into guys,” Zayn said.

“Yeah, it’s not something I say publicly, but I’d like to go on a date with you,” he told him. “What do you say?”

“I say that I’d like that a lot,” Zayn said biting his lip to hide the smile that was forming deciding take a sip of his hot chocolate before he gave himself away.

The two exchanged numbers, Liam wrote Zayn’s on the palm of his hand so that he could add it to his contacts once he got his phone charged up.

“Unfortunately I’m leaving town for some press tomorrow, but I should be back in a couple of weeks for Christmas and I’d really like to see you when I return.”

As the driver pulled up outside of Zayn's building, Liam leaned over and touched his lips to Zayn’s in a soft kiss before pulling back. Liam saw the driver look back in the rearview mirror and he felt his cheeks heating up.

“Don’t forget about me before then,” Zayn whispered as he opened the door to the cold and got out of the car.

"I won't," he promised. Zayn turned back and leaned in for one more kiss before he shut the car door and made his way to the building. He gave one last wave as Liam’s driver drove off into the night.

Zayn had a lot of trouble falling asleep and gave up on the idea completely just laying there, motionless, for a couple of hours. He wondered if he’d actually hear from Liam again or if he'd just be left with this crazy story that no one would believe.

His phone beeped and Zayn jumped, his heart rate picking up from the small scare. Thankful that no hot chocolate was near this time, Zayn reached over and picked up his phone from the night table where he had left it and opened up the text message he’d received.

**I shall return for you. Keep some hot chocolate warm for me - Liam**


End file.
